Oscar Pistorius: £170,000 bid to 'buy off' Reeva's family

Oscar Pistorius: £170,000 bid to 'buy off' Reeva's family

SETTLE: Pistorius's lawyers are said to be in talks with the victim's family [AP]

His lawyers want to settle out of court to avoid a lawsuit from the shot model’s family.

The athlete’s team are said to be in talks with Reeva’s parents, Barry and June, over the six-figure settlement. However, the couple are launching civil action for “emotional distress and loss of earnings”.

South African sources claim that the Paralympic star, who is still to stand trial for his girlfriend’s murder, could end up paying them up to £170,000.

Under the settlement, it is unlikely he would publicly accept responsibility for the death of Reeva, nor would it affect the criminal trial.

“The state will try to show he is a violent person, that he is a gun-toting hothead”

Barry Bateman, a journalist for South Africa’s Eyewitness News

Pistorius, 27, goes on trial on March 2, charged with killing his 29-year-old girlfriend at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine’s Day last year.

Barry Bateman, a journalist for South Africa’s Eyewitness News, said prosecutors will try to show Pistorius has anger issues.

He said: “The state will try to show he is a violent person, that he is a gun-toting hothead.” Pistorius faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.

The Steenkamp family have refused to speak publicly about any civil action against him, calling it a private matter.

But reports in South Africa claim Reeva’s parents are skint and have been relying on cash from foreign media interviews to get by since her death.